PULLMAN – Robbie Cowgill says he still has the quicks. The strength, though, isn't what it used to be. But that hasn't stopped the old Cougar forward from mixing it up on the practice court the last few seasons with the Cougar basketball team. So when this mainstay from the 26-win WSU clubs of 2006-07 and 2007-08 is asked for his assessment of the current Cougs, he offers up first-hand insights.

PULLMAN -- When the curtain came crashing down on the greatest two-year run in Washington State basketball history last March, two of WSU's three senior starters quickly turned their focus to leaving Pullman to begin their pro careers. In stark contrast, Robbie Cowgill couldn't wait to return to Pullman to perform work that he finds infinitely more rewarding than pro or college basketball.

THE COUGS ARE expecting more participants than in recent years to their football summer youth camp, the first under new head man Paul Wulff. The event kicks off Sunday out on the Palouse, and runs from June 22-25. So how many participants might turn out and how does that compare to recent summers?

A QUICK LOOK AT THE Cougar stat book this year vs. last shows remarkable consistency. The numbers for points, rebounds, assists and turnovers were either exactly the same or very close to it. One area, however, didn't match up. And Ivory Clark fans know it. We asked WSU assistant coach Ben Johnson how that void might be filled next season.

YEP, IT'S A BUMMER to see the dream die. It was frustrating that the game was mostly a stinker for the final 28 minutes. In the end, though, this wasn't about North Carolina's 68-47 Sweet 16 win over ice-cold Washington State in Charlotte. It was the day we had to say goodbye to Kyle Weaver, Derrick Low and Robbie Cowgill.

ON AND OFF THE COURT, it's been one for the books. Five Cougars from the men's basketball squad were named Pac-10 All-Academic today -- three of the five on the first team are Cougs -- and WSU leads all Pac-10 schools with its five honorees. This is the first time in school history the Cougars have had five men's basketball student-athletes receive Pac-10 Academic honors in the same season.